NHL Playoffs Game 7 expert picks, odds: Predictions for Bruins vs. Panthers and Avalanche vs. Kraken
There’s something special about playoff hockey. There’s something even more special about Game 7s in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Sunday gives us two games with the record-setting Boston Bruins facing the Florida Panthers in the first game and the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche going against the upstart Seattle Kraken in the second game.
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It’s been a weird playoffs for home teams as road teams won 11 straight games at one point. It seems there’s no such thing as home-ice advantage anymore. Keep that in mind, especially with teams like Boston and Colorado facing a lot of pressure to close out underdog teams on home ice. The Bruins had a 3-1 lead in this series before dropping the next two games as the Panthers forced a Game 7.
Time for our expert picks.
During the Stanley Cup playoffs, The Athletic’s writers will make their straight-up picks. You’ll find picks, coverage and the latest odds here. Our in-depth NHL coverage is linked below the picks.
All odds from BetMGM and update live.
Game 7 – Panthers at Bruins
Series tied 3-3
6:30 p.m. on TNT, SN, CBC
The Bruins set almost every record for regular season success, and the Panthers still forced a Game 7 in the first-round series. Not sure many people saw that coming especially after the Bruins took a 3-1 series lead. Florida had 23 fewer wins than Boston and 43 fewer points. None of that matters now as the Bruins must put together an epic Game 7 performance at TD Garden to advance to the second round.
Sergei Bobrovsky only has a .883 save percentage in the four games he’s played this postseason, but the Panthers are 2-1 in his three starts. Matthew Tkachuk continues to lead the Panthers with 10 points.
Brad Marchand also has 10 points to lead the Bruins in scoring. But it’s the leaky defense and goaltending that have been plaguing the Bruins during the last two games. Linus Ullmark — who will likely be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season — only has a .896 save percentage in the series. Boston had a 5-4 lead late in the third period, but couldn’t close out the Panthers on Friday before losing 7-5.
Game 7 – Kraken at Avalanche
Series tied 3-3
9:30 p.m. on TNT, SN
The Kraken have scored first in every single game this series. Friday’s Game 6 felt like a must-win game for Seattle to close the series out at home, and it was a vintage Avalanche performance as they scored the final four goals to cruise to a 4-1 win and force a Game 7.
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Seattle hasn’t figured out how to slow down Mikko Rantanen and that could eventually be the difference. Defenseman Devon Toews also continues to contribute with great defense and eight points.
The Avalanche will be without Andrew Cogliano, who fractured his neck in Game 6 when Jordan Eberle hit him from behind. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety elected to not suspend Eberle and he will play in Game 7. Cogliano returned to play the third period in Friday’s Game 6 at Seattle but won’t play on Sunday in Denver.
Eberle is assessed a two minute minor for boarding Cogliano pic.twitter.com/JJyZg7gaDu
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) April 29, 2023
Colorado is already without captain Gabriel Landeskog, Darren Helm, Josh Manson and Valeri Nichushkin before adding Cogliano to the injured list. Even if the Avalanche can beat the Kraken in Game 7, the injuries are going to be a problem going forward.
(Photo of Nathan MacKinnon and Vince Dunn: Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images)
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